The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-07-21
AN ENGLISH STAG HUNT.
ExH LARATlNe EFFECT OF A GAL
LoP OVER THE HEATHER.

Hurry 10 tho Word Whom the Hsunds
Begin to BAy--A Hard Ride to tho
Finish.--A staG Facing His FoeS-Ths
Death stroke.
We are on the top Of Porlock hill, and
southwark and westward stretch the rolling
hills of the forest, SCARED by the deep
coombes and ravines, at the bottom Of which
invariably rms stream Of water, In which
salmon and trout cause many q whirl and
eddy. The grand old trees ON the sloping
sides Of these eoombes look 30 quiet and
stately that ID seems AZ IL we had left tho
habited world altogether. Northward,
thousand feet below us, the Atlantic ocean
rolls iss waters up the Bristol channel, and
dashes Its spray on the shingly beach
shadowed by the trees and brushwood which
come quito down to the waters edge. But
harki TboreS . shout and the peAling Of
Arthur's horn. Something's afook as II q
stag or . hindm Is the anxious inquiry Of
everybody. "Thero IL goes up yonder slope.
'Tis hind, though, with tufter hard at her
heels The hound is whipped of, and again
we wait that's whimper, surely, below
there, another, now chorus from four or
Ave hounds, backed up by notes from a born.
All eyes are eagerly watching the edges Of
the woods to see what breaks out Crashi
by Jovsi there he is, and splendid fellow,
too What headl Brow, bay, and tray,
and three pom top" IT'S glorious sight to
see him toss back his Antlers and go at long,
swinging gallop across the heather and disap-
pear over the crest OF the opposite hill.
Hurry Is the word. Tighten your girths,
get into the saddle, and make up your mind
for hard ride now, for the stag has gone
straight for the moor, and sobbing sides and
Redeemed rowels will tell their usual tale er
we set him up 10 bay; perhaps IN Waters
meet"
The tufters are whipped of, md Arthur
rides fast back for the pack, which he quickly
brings up and lays on the track. Justa min
ute the hounds feather, then from old Chal-
lengers throat there comes roar % be
strikes the line; his comrades take up tho
note, and for q few minutes the hills resound
to the deep baying as each dog catches the
mystic scent. They rapidly settle down to
their long swesping stride, and the hunt has
fairly begun.
We are in good position, 90 far, and feel
the exhilArating effect Of q moorlAnd gallop
Down thAt ooOmbe the chase takes us,
along the bottom, then up the steep sides
over che powders and among the larches.
Our horses must walk II. At last we reach
tho brow and observe few horsemen vanish
over the opposite side. We follow hard in
their wake, and soon can see the hounds before
and below Us running fast and close 10 tho
line Arthur in his scarlet coat Is close up with
them, as also are about half dozen Jealous
sportsmen. ETwo hours, and not a checkl"
Phew! Our horses are beginning to feel the
strain, and we should not at oil object to
draw rein, but the gallant beast ahead is
showing sport, and he leads US through the
beautiful woods and glades of Horner, past
the old water mill, up the stream, and across
the side Of old Dunkerry, the highest and
bleakest hill in the west. Here the hounds
waver and lose the scent. Ali what relief
to pull up and blow our horses. Five min
utes, and an old hound hits the line again,
and says so, and shows the way toward the
famous valley where the Doones had their
robber stronghold. Few are the riders now,
as we lead our foam covered horses down the
tremendous deelivity (none could ride down.
Again we mount, dash through the ford of
Bradgeworthy Water, and Stretch out for
SimonSbath We take care to avoid riding
where the bright green. patches Of seeming
beautiful galoping gfoyh1 depote the pres
,ence of .boss, ipt9 ~liiehl is dangerous te
ride, Lives are lost by getting into these
quogmres, and frequeideS o. the moor give
them as wide berth as possible. F z
Hal The hounds sizing lack towards
Brad dgeWorthy V atGr, anu the stag is seen
a
cooling bath Of the waters. No time do the
dogs give him however, and he sinks the hill
straight this time. 1T is allupm We know
now that he has well nigh finished his course,
for when deer seek to attain hilltop by
going straight up It's a sure sign of the end.
The master and Arthur with one or two ntker
riders in scarlet are in front of us, and we
hope that the stag will turn to bay quickly,
50 that we may be present at the kill. The
noble brutes we ride have had quite enough
Of it, and gone is the free reaching stride of
the beginning of the hunt. We struggle on,
however, and are gladdened by hearing the
baying of the hounds beneath, down by the
stream, beyond that thick belt of woods We
slip and catter down thorough sides, and
between the trees we catch glimpse of scar
let and other coats, raging dogs, and, as we
get up close there, with his back against all
immense bowlde-, in mid stream, is the old
stag facing his foes and, like gentleman as
he is fighting to the last. One unwary young
| hound is ripped up from shoulder to flank by
dash of those terribly sharp browantlers.
| Others, more wise, keep at distance, and
bay till the coombe echoes with their pealing
| notes.
Arthur is in first, and jumping out of the
saddle with the agility of 80 years instead OF
~, gets up the sides of the rock, and when
the deer, with hoof and hoIn is keeping his
canine enemies from fastening on him, he
! leans forward and sends his hunting knife
deep into his throat. With All upward toss
of his head and roll OF his beautifully brown
| eyes the stag sinks down into the water dead
Then the death whoop peals, and the mort
is sounded, again and again, "whoop, who-o
o-p, who-who-o-op" The shouts make the
coombe echo and re-echo with the shrill hal
| loo, aud the stragglers coming down the hill
sides know that they are just too late to Sc,
the death stroke given.
The deer is pulled to the bank and hi
| points are counted and his size admired HI
is then graIlocfed and his entrails thrown t,
| the hounds The slots the two fore hoofs
| are given MS trophies to two fair ladies, VIII,
have ridden the chase fairly through, from
| find to finish. Congratulations and expert
ences of the day are exchanged, and a merr,
| ten minutes chat takes place.-"The Ethel